Araki did not lower his guard because of his own thoughts. He was still sensing the movements in Sunagakure and trying his best to prevent any unexpected situations from happening.
Not long after, Jiraiya led Araki and the other two to the entrance of the camp.
Upon hearing the commotion outside, the ninjas in the camp came out of their houses alertly, their eyes all focused on Jiraiya.
Immediately afterwards, their expressions changed from alertness to shock, and then to astonishment, their pupils contracting sharply.
" Lord Jiraiya?!"
The vast majority of the ninjas stationed here were Genin, with only one Chunin typically remaining to coordinate. After all, ninja resources were quite scarce, and their main reason for staying at their posts was simply to act as eyes and ears. Both sides' leadership was well aware that at this juncture, neither wanted any conflict to break out. Therefore, these ninjas, who were usually considered minor figures in the village, felt an indescribable shock upon seeing Jiraiya, one of the Jiraiya Konoha Sannin of Konoha.
"Thank you all for your hard work."
Jiraiya greeted everyone with a smile, then turned to Araki, gesturing for him to bring the box over. He continued, " The Lord Hokage Araki your hard work and specially ordered us to deliver some supplies. We hope you can feel the warmth of the village while you stand guard."
"Thank you, Lord Jiraiya! Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
The ninjas on the scene were immediately moved. They hadn't even seen what the supplies were, but everyone felt needed. It was a strong sense of belonging, especially when they saw Lord Jiraiya come in person. It made them realize that they hadn't been sent here, but were standing guard for the entire village.
Clang!
Just then, Araki put the box he was holding on the ground, removed the Chakra protecting the box, and took a step back.
He was observing these ninjas from an outsider's perspective. After seeing their gratitude, he became even more certain that the entire ninja world was a huge brainwashing base. Almost every ninja underwent a series of brainwashing before leaving the village and willingly became a tool of those in power.
This phenomenon, at first glance, doesn't seem like much, but upon closer examination, it's quite terrifying.
"Open it and take a look."
Jiraiya smiled and said that he was quite satisfied with the reactions of everyone present. He wasn't surprised at all, as it was all within his expectations. After all, the Lord Hokage was so considerate of his subordinates; anyone would probably be happy in that situation.
Of course, the Jiraiya of today is different from the Jiraiya of the future.
They did not experience the subsequent process of gradually becoming disheartened.
They were still in a state of being immersed in it.
In an instant.
Everyone present, including Araki, Minato, and Kushina, looked towards the large wooden box, all curious about what was inside, having carried it all the way here.
"Yes!"
The ninjas present immediately responded, and then a person dressed in Konoha ninja attire stepped out from the crowd. It was a standard ninja uniform, indicating a rank of Chunin or higher. He walked to the box and prepared to open it.
Immediately, under the watchful eyes of many, the Chunin opened the box, revealing neatly folded sets of clothes and some bottles and jars, which looked like they contained some kind of dry rations.
really!
Araki immediately understood. He had long suspected that these so-called supplies were not ninja tools or anything like that, but rather some daily necessities.
After all, a battle is simply impossible at this moment.
Therefore, the reserves of Kunai and Shuriken at the forward outpost are extremely abundant, almost to the point of being unused, so there is naturally no need to send anything over.
If there is anything being consumed, it must be daily necessities. The fact that the Third sent them to deliver daily necessities indirectly proves that these people will likely stay at this base for a while longer.
It's quite pathetic when you think about it!
No wonder they sent Jiraiya to deliver it...
If it were anyone else who came here, the ninjas stationed here would feel very sad after experiencing this phenomenon. At the very least, they would feel some negative emotions. After all, no one wants to be away from their hometown and family, living in such a place for a long time without any timetable, and having no idea how much longer they would have to live.
but...
When these things were delivered by Jiraiya.
Then the meaning changes.
The local people feel this is a great honor; it's a sign of the village's care for them, and a mission they bear.
"Thank you, Lord Hokage!"
The Chunin immediately upon seeing its contents, his face serious, his heart filled with gratitude towards the Third.
In an instant.
The ninjas present all wore the same expression.
Why...
Araki sighed inwardly upon witnessing this scene.
This must be the legendary case of selling someone and then counting the money for them!
It has to be said.
Hiruzen Sarutobi does have some tricks up his sleeve!
Whether it's becoming Hokage or holding Hokage position for so long without possessing extraordinary strength, it's enough to prove that the latter is shrewd and has many admirable qualities.
only...
These minds weren't fully focused on making Konoha stronger!
Chapter 33 The Surprise Attack on Sunagakure!
After everyone took everything out of the wooden crate, everything was revealed to them. Just as Araki had expected, it was full of necessities, most of which were consumables. Judging from the quantity of these consumables, it was enough to keep these people here for at least three months.
After all, Araki brought over was an enormous box, and the Military Rations Pill inside were even more effective than compressed rations. These supplies would allow these people to live without any worries for a period of time.
certainly...
This does not mean they can return to Konoha in three months.
Perhaps another group of people will come to deliver supplies!
However, Araki felt that the Third wasn't stupid and wouldn't needlessly squander everyone's trust in him. This tactic only needed to be used once, and these people should return to Konoha in three months.
Araki even came up with the scene ideas!
When that time comes, another group of ninjas who will be stationed here will embark on their journey. Before they leave, they will be brainwashed by the Third Hokage, making them feel that going to the front is contributing to Konoha, dedicating their strength, and thus realizing their own value.
When the new batch of people arrives, they can replace the previous batch. After receiving the supplies, the previous batch of people were grateful for the Third's kindness, feeling that Third was watching over them and taking them back just when they most wanted to go home. What a humane Hokage he was!
Araki had almost figured out the Third's tactics.
but...
He didn't care about these things.
After all, what might happen here has absolutely nothing to do with him, and he can't be bothered to care about such things.
Instantly.
Araki found a chair and sat down, silently watching what was happening before him.
If all goes well, once the ninjas at this base have inspected the supplies, they can return to Konoha to complete their mission.
This trip wasn't entirely fruitless; he considered it a chance to relax. However, just as he had anticipated, the mission was a typical C-Rank Mission with no real difficulty.
If they had to pinpoint any difficulty they encountered on their journey, it would be the highly venomous Aoda. However, it wasn't a problem with the mission itself, but rather the inherent dangers of the forest.
"Um?"
However, at that moment, Araki's brows furrowed suddenly as he sensed a series of unusual movements.
That's right!
This is definitely an anomaly!
Before entering the camp, Araki sensed a number of presences from the Sunagakure, which were likely ninjas from the Sunagakure camp.
The ninjas on both sides maintained a relatively safe distance, at which point they did not invade each other's territory and there was almost no conflict.
But...
At this point in time.
Araki clearly sensed the movement of those energies, and they were moving towards them at an extremely fast speed.
This makes no sense!
If the ninja stationed in Sunagakure were to do this, it would be tantamount to invading the border of the Land of Fire, which would result in a war between the two countries, bringing no benefit to either side.
Araki couldn't understand what reason the Sunagakure could have for doing this!
But that's exactly what the other party did, which surprised him greatly.
In an instant.
Araki found himself in a somewhat difficult emotional state.
Should we tell Jiraiya-sensei or anyone else present about this?
If they hadn't told anyone, the Sunagakure ninjas would have definitely launched a sneak attack on those present, potentially causing serious injuries, even deaths.
After all, this could definitely be considered a case of someone deliberately trying to outwit someone who wasn't.
At this point in time, no one believes that the two sides will escalate into war. Even Araki, who has witnessed the history of the ninja world, thinks that such a situation is simply impossible.
In the original historical trajectory, there was a long period of calm after the Second Shinobi World War, and then came the Third Shinobi World War.
The Third Shinobi World War is not yet approaching.
There is absolutely no reason for such a minor conflict to erupt.
What exactly happened?
A big question mark popped into Araki's mind. He didn't know the answer to this question, and he couldn't explain such a strange phenomenon with the information he currently had.
Now, the biggest dilemma facing him is whether or not to reveal this matter. If he doesn't, the Konoha base will definitely be attacked suddenly. But if he does reveal it, how did he even sense this situation?
This will reveal even more of his abilities...
Moreover, this is an ability that Araki doesn't want to reveal in the short term; it's a life-saving ability for him.
because...
The fewer people who know about his ability to sense others' arrival, the better. This way, he can gather as much information as possible without others knowing he has this ability, thus ensuring his own safety.
In a split second, after a brief moment of thought, Araki decided to remain still.
After all, nothing has fully happened yet. These Sunagakure ninjas are only moving this way, but it's not certain they will start a war. If they announce it in advance and it doesn't turn out this way, they'll just have needlessly exposed their abilities. It's better to pretend nothing happened.
Araki understood this, and immediately distanced himself from the situation, becoming an outsider. He acted decisively without hesitation; once he had thought things through, he would do it. This was what he always believed to be his most correct approach.